


That's two.

by inglourious_artist



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Love, Emotional Baggage, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2020-01-31 07:46:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18586873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inglourious_artist/pseuds/inglourious_artist
Summary: In which Thor attempts to comfort Loki.(Takes place sometime around the plot of dark world.)





	That's two.

"I'm not who you think I am."

"And who are you not?"

"Your brother."

Thor's features shifted at that, brows visibly knitting together as a direct response to Loki's comment. "Loki, you are so much more than that."

A scoff.

"Loki-"

"But not that. I'm not your brother." Loki interjected, tone definitive, pacing momentarily before he stopped himself, content now that he wasn't so tempted to look into Thor's eyes.

"We were raised together." Thor stated, his tone only just able to match Loki's stubborn nature, but only due to Loki's doubt in himself and his words.

Silence. Though it rarely lasted between them. Now was no different.

"You and Fandral grew up together. That makes him no more your brother than I, Hogun or Volstagg... Or is Sif now your sister?" Loki's words were full of disdain, packed with it in a way that made Thor ache for his brother from the inside, out.

"Stop with that." Thor's voice was beyond stern, but he very quickly re-evaluated his tone choice. Anger wasn't the way to go about this. Perhaps he'd grown. Or, perhaps, he finally had reached a place of understanding his brother and his needs. All he could hope that it wasn't too little or too late. Loki had suffered too much hurt in his lifetime already. Too much pain that Thor had been unable to protect him from or rectify later.

As a child he'd at least been able to brawl with Asgardians who dared to make Loki cry, but now? Now he wasn't able to do that for Loki? Now Loki's assailant was out there and Thor didn't even have a _name_? Thor was sure he'd failed as a brother. Convinced of it. He'd failed Loki in that sense, but not only was he unable to fight for Loki. Now he couldn't even _comfort_  him.

Thor promptly became uncomfortably aware of the duration of time that had passed without either of them speaking, and his eyes began to trail from the ground between them, to the figure of his brother against the Asgardian landscape.

He'd failed Loki for so long already. He couldn't stand to fail him any longer.

Thor moved from where he had been standing; taking calculated but confident steps towards Loki before settling his hands on his shoulders. The touch strong but sensitive enough that left Loki unwilling to move away from the pressure and press of Thor's hands.

"You _are_  my brother, Loki. No manner of blood will change that." Thor watched as Loki began to shake his head, a part of him relieved that he couldn't see the likely pained expression. "That changes nothing to me. Nor to mother, or father. We all love you, Loki. More than you know, more than you'll let yourself know or believe. I know you deny these things to protect yourself."

Hesitation caused Thor to stumble and pause. Thor was, by no means, the _worst_  person at expressing his emotions, but this situation was still painful and jarring. Especially when he considered just how much was riding on each and every individual word he came out with. Realistically, he was one poor word choice away from provoking Loki to truly step away and separate himself from the life he had.

He couldn't let Loki slip away again. He just couldn't. Not so soon after losing Loki, not so soon after getting him back. He'd _only_  just gotten Loki back. Losing him again wasn't an option, he wouldn't entertain the thought of it. Especially not when his words had the potential to prevent Loki from leaving again.

"I won't let you leave again, Loki." Alright, so it came out a little stern, more so than it was meant to be. And, really, that could go either way when talking to Loki. His brother flipped violently between needing to be ordered around to function and vehemently despising anything trying to maintain any level of authority over him. Odin seemed to spark out the latter mood in Loki all too much.

Whilst Loki was complex, at least Thor felt as if he had started to figure out his previously enigmatic sibling.

Still, to soften the tone of his previous statement, just in case Loki was leaning more into his rebellious side. "I love you too much, brother. Too much to let you go." He could feel Loki tense and stiffen under his hands, but at least he was staying put. "I do, Loki. Stop convincing yourself otherwise."

Another sigh was let out from the older man before he continued.

"And if I have to repeat it to you a thousand times, then I will." Thor ensured his tone picked up for those words, hoping to give Loki something, anything, to cling onto.

When he was met with no response, he glanced up to the sky above them, wanting to ground himself and think through what he was about to say before trying another angle with Loki.

Though that was when his attempt to draw Loki away from the metaphorical edge appeared to have worked. He felt the shift of Loki's body under his arms as he turned to look up at Thor, the blond's arms falling to his sides.

As they looked at one another, Thor found himself briefly studying the pained expression buried in plain sight and staring back at him behind malachite eyes. Loki was trying to hide his pain, but Thor would have to let him. Pushing Loki was only successful when he instigated the negotiation.

The breath Thor had taken in moments ago was being held unnaturally in his lungs, Waiting for Loki to speak the way one might wait for a wild animal to approach first.

"... A thousand times?" Loki asked, "A thousand... Exactly? No more, no less?"

And all at once, Thor let out the breath alongside a light, but hearty, chuckle.

"At least a thousand this year. But I'll never stop saying it."

"I'll be counting."

"I don't doubt that."

Thor looked at Loki fondly, and with a distinct soft tenderness only Thor seemed to possess that juxtaposed so extremely to his build and abilities. A man of his statute was very rarely assumed to be soft.

He moved forward slightly, enough to wrap his arms around Loki's frame and draw him in closer. Relieved when Loki followed suit and replicated the motion. Their prolonged hug was sealed as Thor pressed his chin lightly into the crown of Loki's head.

The world seemed to still around them.

"I love you, brother."

"That's two."


End file.
